Animal drencher



May 13, 1941.

c. D. MERRITT ANIMAL DRENCHER Filed Oct. 9, 1959 8*we/wbo'0 CLIFFORD D.MERHIT'T Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFECE ANIMALDRENCHER Clifl'ord D. Merritt, Jackson, Mich.

Application October 9, 1939, Serial No. 298,537 1 Claim. (c1. 128-123)son that not only are large quantities of the drenching substance wastedbut also the animals made nervous causing subsequent drenching to bedifiicult.

In the case of sheep drenching is usually resorted to for removing wormsand when it is consirered that an entire flock must be treated at thesame time, it will be realized that any treatment which can be given ina reduced amount of time in an efficient manner and without frighteningthe animals is of considerable advantage.

The present invention constitutes a device for drenching animals withoutthe disadvantages of the former practice. My invention is such animprovement over the prior art that Whereas formerly one man coulddrench approximately ten sheep per hour, now by employing my inventionsixty sheep per hour may be drenched by a single man without difiiculty.

An object of the invention is to provide a drencher employing ameasuring tube carrying a nozzle, the measuring tube being fillable froma portable container carried by the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an animal drencher havinga measuring tube which is of soft pliable rubber whereby the same may bepinched inwardly from the outside to permit the running into themeasuring tube of a quantity of drenching medicine equivalent to apredetermined fraction of the entire volume of the tube.

A further object of the invention is to provide an animal drencherhaving a measuring tube provided at one end with a nozzle and at theother end with a valve for the controlling of the running of thedrenching medicine into the measuring tube, and an air inlet to permitthe entrance of air into the measuring tube while the valve is closedand a drenching medicine is being run from the nozzle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portabledrencher of the character described having a nozzle particularlyadaptable to be placed in the space between the incisors and molars ofthe animal being drenched whereby the mouth of the animal may bemaintained closed to prevent the spilling of drenching medicine and atthe same time the nozzle may be directed toward the throat of theanimal.

These and other objects will be apparent from the followingspecification when taken with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. lis an illustration disclosing the invention in actual operation, 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing parts in section, and 1 Fig. 3 is aplan view of the lower jaw of a sheeps mouth disclosing the nozzle ofthe drencher according to the present invention disposed in position foradministering'the drenching medicine.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the reference character Iindicates the medicine containing tank provided with a suitable strap 2which is preferably adjustable and arranged for supporting the tank Iabout the neck of the operator 3. At the top of the tank I is a suitablefiilling opening provided with a screw closure 4.

At the bottom of the tank I and preferably to one side thereof as shownis an outlet nipple 5 communicating with any suitable valve 6, providedwith acontrolling handle I. The valve member 8 of the valve 6 isprovided with a port 9 which in open position as shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing is in alignment with the through passage I0. However, upon theturning of the handle I the port 9 is moved to a position out ofaligrmient with the through passage I0 to close the valve.

Connected to the outlet of the valve -6 is a measuring tube I5. The tubeI5 preferably is fabricated from soft pliable rubber or its equivalent.At the free end of the tube I5 is suitably connected an administeringnozzle l6 for disposition in the mouth of the animal bein drenched. Theinternal volume of the tube I5 should be equal to the maximum dosage tobe administered. Adjacent the top of the tube I5 is an air inlet openingI1. In operation, assuming that a maximum dosage is to be administeredthe finger of the operator is placed over the outlet of the nozzle l6and the valve 6 opened, permitting medicine to run from the tank I intothe measuring tube I5 until it starts to flow from the air inlet I'l. Atthis point the valve 6 is closed and it will be understood that themeasuring tube I5 is filled with medicine. The nozzle I6 is theninserted in the mouth I8 of the animal being drenched and the medicinefrom the measuring tube I5 permitted to flow by gravlty down the throatof the animal. Air to replace the medicine flowing from the tube !5enters through the air opening II.

As shown particularly in Fig. 3 the nozzle I6 is curved as shown so thatwhen it is inserted in the mouth of the animal and disposed between oneof the spaces I9 between the incisors 20 and molars 2|, it may beconveniently held and at the same time direct the medicine down thethroat of the animal.

-When a partly grown animal is to be drenched, the quantity of medicineto be administered should be less than that for a full grown animal.

Accordingly, instead of completely filling the masuring tube I5 it ispartly filled before administering the dose. If from theoperators-experience he judges for instance that one-half. of themeasuring tube is the proper dose, the measuring tubeI5 is pinched fromthe outside at a.

point midway between its ends, the flexibility of the tube permittingthe pinching to completely I close. off. the. lower. half. The valve 6isthen opened; filling the upper. half of: the tubev I5, until themedicine flows from the air opening IT. The

valve. 6 is themclosed :andithe finger of the operator placed over theopen. end of the nozzle I6 until the nozzle H5 is. placed. in the mouthof the animal. Similarly the amount of medicine run into the tube I5through/thevalve 6' may beequal to any. fraction of the tube I5: bysimply pinching the same at the required point. For convenience bands 22may be marked. on the outside ofthetube I5: at known intervals toindicate to the. operator. where the tube should be pinched for a.particular dose. As shown the tube I5 is marked at each quarter.However, it will be obvious that other graduations as might bedesiredmaybeused.

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The present construction is" particularly advantageous in drenchingsheep for the reason that the nozzle I6 may be placed in one of thespaces I9 between the incisors and the molars so that when the animalclamps his jaws shut which is the natural tendency, the mouth will becompletely closed thereby preventing the es-cape of any of the medicineand consequently waste. It

will be obvious from the facility with which the measuring tube I5 maybe filled or partly filled as the case may be and the ease with whichthe nozzle I6 may be disposed in the mouth of the animal to be drenchedand the medicine administered, that it will be possible to drenchanimals quickly and efliciently with a minimum loss of time.Furthermore, due to the exact measuring of each dose the danger ofoverdosing is eliminated.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to secure by LettersPatent and claim is:

A gravity feed animal drencher comprising a fluid tank, fluid conduitmeans connected at its upper end to said tank including a measuringtube, a valve locatedbetween saidtankand the lower end ofsaid tube, anadministering nozzle connected to the lower end of said tube, an airinlet in said conduit meansbelow said-valve with itsoperationindependent ofthe operation of said valve; thecapacity of saidtube and nozzle below saidiinlet constituting amaximum dosage, said airinlet with said valve open acting-as, anoverflow and indicator and withsaid valve-closed as an air inlet to enablethe dosage to flow from-saidtubethroughsaid nozzle;

CLIFFORD D.- MERRITT.

